A Start in Life [44]
many years, prevented the small bourgeoisie from laughing at Madame
Moreau, who, in the eyes of the peasants, was really a personage.
Estelle (her name was Estelle) took no more part in the affairs of the
stewardship then the wife of a broker does in her husband's affairs at
the Bourse. She even depended on Moreau for the care of the household
and their own fortune. Confident of his MEANS, she was a thousand
leagues from dreaming that this comfortable existence, which had
lasted for seventeen years, could ever be endangered. And yet, when
she heard of the count's determination to restore the magnificent
chateau, she felt that her enjoyments were threatened, and she urged
her husband to come to the arrangement with Leger about Les
Moulineaux, so that they might retire from Presles and live at Isle-
Adam. She had no intention of returning to a position that was more or
less that of a servant in presence of her former mistress, who,
indeed, would have laughed to see her established in the lodge with
all the airs and graces of a woman of the world.
The rancorous enmity which existed between the Reyberts and the
Moreaus came from a wound inflicted by Madame de Reybert upon Madame
Moreau on the first occasion when the latter assumed precedence over
the former on her first arrival at Presles, the wife of the steward
being determined not to allow her supremacy to be undermined by a
woman nee de Corroy. Madame de Reybert thereupon reminded, or,
perhaps, informed the whole country-side of Madame Moreau's former
station. The words "waiting-maid" flew from lip to lip. The envious
acquaintances of the Moreaus throughout the neighborhood from Beaumont
to Moisselles, began to carp and criticize with such eagerness that a
few sparks of the conflagration fell into the Moreau household. For
four years the Reyberts, cut dead by the handsome Estelle, found
themselves the objects of so much animadversion on the part of the
adherents of the Moreaus that their position at Presles would not have
been endurable without the thought of vengeance which had, so far,
supported them.
The Moreaus, who were very friendly with Grindot the architect, had
received notice from him of the early arrival of the two painters sent
down to finish the decorations of the chateau, the principal paintings
for which were just completed by Schinner. The great painter had
recommended for this work the artist who was accompanied by Mistigris.
For two days past Madame Moreau had been on the tiptoe of expectation,
and had put herself under arms to receive him. An artist, who was to
be her guest and companion for weeks, demanded some effort. Schinner
and his wife had their own apartment at the chateau, where, by the
count's express orders, they were treated with all the consideration
due to himself. Grindot, who stayed at the steward's house, showed
such respect for the great artist that neither the steward nor his
wife had attempted to put themselves on familiar terms with him.
Moreover, the noblest and richest people in the surrounding country
had vied with each other in paying attention to Schinner and his wife.
So, very well pleased to have, as it were, a little revenge of her
own, Madame Moreau was determined to cry up the artist she was now
expecting, and to present him to her social circle as equal in talent
to the great Schinner.
Though for two days past Moreau's pretty wife had arrayed herself
coquettishly, the prettiest of her toilets had been reserved for this
very Saturday, when, as she felt no doubt, the artist would arrive for
dinner. A pink gown in very narrow stripes, a pink belt with a richly
chased gold buckle, a velvet ribbon and cross at her throat, and
velvet bracelets on her bare arms (Madame de Serizy had handsome arms
and showed them much), together with bronze kid shoes and thread
stockings, gave Madame Moreau all the appearance of an elegant
Parisian. She